Hurry up and save me
by Melxlive4liarsx
Summary: What happens when Jim finally realizes that his heart has always-and will always- belong to the Little Mermaid?
1. i have this bursting heart

**Hurry up and save me.**

With his long hair in his eyes, the boy maneuvered his way in the air, cerulean skies surrounding him like a moist blanket. Matching sky eyes set with determination, a sexy grin tugged at his mouth, a shout of victory and freedom escaping his lips. The small ponytail whipped behind him and his gold earring chimed a melody in the swirling air.

He turned the solar surfer's power off, tucking the sail into its compartment, and let gravity do the rest as he fell to the Earth. Eyes closed and falling farther into the grips of gravity, he felt himself float as the wind rushed past him upwards. Body moving with grace, he performed a number of tricks in the air for an audience of one. Opening his lidded eyes slowly, he stared at the sky rushing from his grasp. A booted foot pressed on the back button, igniting a spark and causing an explosion, propelling him from the earth he was about to crash into. Skimming the dirt, his blood was replaced with coursing hot red wires as adrenaline oozed out of every pore.

His coat flared behind him like a cape, making noises like a whip. He lowered his body closer to the board, knees bending and arms outstretched and holding on to the rail of the rising golden sail with the scales of orange glinting off the remaining sunlight. It radiated from the sun's captured energy, speed increasing and coat flapping wildly. And while he was having the time of his life, riding that solar surfer like a 21st century skateboard, he was being watched by a secret admirer: his best friend.

Oh, how Ariel loved him. How she yearned to be in his embrace, ear to his scarred chest listening to the music his beating heart and lungs created. To have his strong protective arms hold her in the night under rumpled sheets. To kiss his sleeping form awake. To trace every scar and memorize him in whole; just so if she ever lost him, he's never leave her memory bank. And oh, how she wanted their lips to share a passionate kiss filled with love, want, _need_. To run her fingers through his tousled hair and gaze into those eyes forever.

But fingers only now grasped the side of her own solar surfer, trailing behind _her_ boy. That's what he was, whether he knew it or not: _hers_. But she was invisible to the seventeen year old, well, at least in that way. And as she held on to her solar surfer with the pulsating wings spreading gold throughout the sail as if to say, "Hey, let's get ripping some air!" she tried not to stare and call out to him and proclaim her love.

He turned around suddenly, not giving her time to hide, and smiled softly at her. Her heart skipping a beat, she gave him a small wave. He yelled, masculine voice booming, "Come on, Ariel! You're being slower than Morph!" and gave her a mock pathetic look as the pink floating blob chugged past her. Her foot hitting the back button as well, the surfer exploded with speed, catapulting her forward. Jim, seeing this, sped up as well. She was running towards her love as he ran away… bloody perfect.

Sliding up to him, she smiled deviously as she stuck out her tongue and yelled, "Loser!" and laughed as she went up ahead. Coming into a pasture filled with old, abandoned buildings, she dodged and barely skimmed them, the bottom of the board hitting a few and causing sparks to fly as it scraped the metal. "Show off!" he exclaimed, laughing. She laughed too, feeling alive. Being with Jim did that to her. To anyone…

So, stuck in her Jim-engrossed wonderland, she barely had time to react when a giant fan suddenly appeared before her. Retracting the sail into the board, she pressed her body into it, engine suddenly sputtering and sparks flying and bouncing off of the metal of the structure. She hit the back button once, twice, three times to no avail as she tried to revive the dying engine. Through to the other side, she continued stomping until she could no longer hear the engine revving. It gave up with a heaving sigh of smoke, and the board started falling lifeless. She tried to get the sail out of its compartment, but the hatch was stuck and it was useless.

She didn't remember crashing. She just closed her eyes, let her hair whip around her and braced for impact. And she remembered Jim's voice........... "Ariel!!!"

And that was it.


	2. and nobody to throw it at

_I almost lost her_. He thought, seeing her sleeping form on the couch under a green blanket. It rose up and down, assuring him she was still amongst the living. He sat on the edge of a table nearest to the couch, brushing away an invisible hair strand from her face. Closed eyelids curtained away her brilliant aqua eyes and pink lips were in a smile, a red creeping across her cheeks. _She's probably dreaming about her Prince Charming. Her true love or something girly like that…_ he laughed a little, palm cupping a rosy cheek. He sighed, wishing he wasn't such a coward and told her how he really felt. How he wished to press his lips against her.

His eyes softened at the thought, until he knew he was acting crazy at such a time, and shook his head to rattle the thoughts inside it. But, he couldn't stop staring at her. Fiery hair framed her soft face. Big glacier eyes standing out against the bright mane, making her a sight for sore eyes. And that slender figure…

"Get a freaking grip, Hawkins! She almost died and you're here fantasizing about bedding her. You really are something…" he said aloud, cascading his dirty mind. As if it ever listened!

He got up and paced around the living room, as to not feel so helpless. His thoughts won the battle, filling his cranium with every pondering question he begged to have answered. How he longed to hold her in his arms. How he wanted her to be the first and last face he saw everyday for the rest of his life.

…but they could never be together. No matter how much he wanted her to be his

(oh, but she already was)

they could never be. He traveled too much, worked with dangerous fellows, and it was all just too risky. And then there was the whole he was too shy to tell her how he felt obstacle.

She was his whole world, and he almost _lost_ her. Solar surfer failing epically, she gave in so freely to Death's steely embrace, and he saw her… dying. He stamped on the button, just in time to catch her rag-doll unconscious body. And as if it was a movie, cue in the raging thunderstorm with electricity traveling around the sky. Not risky enough, eh?

At first he thought she was dead, but he found a faint pulse and shielded her as much as he could with his baggy jacket, taking her home for monitoring. And although he was soaking wet…

Wet. Well, I'll be darned. Figuring it was no good to be sick, he shed his dripping clothes and stood clad in only boxers. (Fan girls eat your heart out) Morph laughed, morphing into a pair of boxers and rubbing up Jim's scarred cheek. Jim chuckled, petting the small creature. He sat on the table again, thoughts storming around in his noggin. And not being able to handle the lack of movement in the room, he got up and paced, and then sat back down. He looked at the once-mermaid and sighed, getting up and collecting her in his arms and off the couch. He carried her into the bedroom, laying her on the bed and sitting on the foot of it, head buried in his hands. Had it not been there, he would've noticed Miss Sleeping Beauty waking up, lids fluttering open.

_So many colors… where am I?... oh. I must be… am I dead?_ She thought, head spinning. As her vision adjusted and clarified, she was greeted with a ceiling and a man's bare back. Ideas raced, thinking a stranger had taken advantage of her and how _dare_ James Pleiades Hawkins leave her alone! But then again, what was _she_ to _him_, right? Oh, of everything in Montressor how dare him…

But, amidst her boiling thoughts, she realized she had her clothes still on, so nothing could've happened. At least, that's what it usually meant, so she was sticking with that theory. _Wait a minute. I know that ponytail… and that earring… James Pleiades Hawkins?_

So he didn't leave her. Or rape her. But, then…

"Jim?" she asked, testing her voice out. It was hoarse and cracked. His head snapped up from the make-shift cradle his hands made, he turned around, widened ceruleans staring at her. They were mixed with confusion, hurt, relief and something she couldn't quite put her finger on. Whatever the case, it was there nonetheless.

"Ariel!" he exclaimed, and was about to wrap her in a hug, but caught himself. She was weak, in a fragile state… and he was in only _boxers_. A blush overcame his boyish face, causing Ariel to giggle. A hand came up to her lips, in an attempt to stifle the laughter that was overcoming her, but it burst out anyways. Seeing her so happy, her smiling, caused his blush to deepen and pertain and a goofy grin to plaster his face. He turned towards her, bounding to be by her side, and wrapped her in a huge hug not caring if he was practically naked.

This brought her near hysterics, as she _must_ be dreaming. Jim, naked, _hugging _her? Oh she must be dead! This can not be real life. _I love being deceased, past my expiration date! I love it, love it, love it!_ she thought, her sides hurting from laughing.

_I have to get her to shut up somehow, or she's going to pass out from oxygen deprivation. _He thought, and as his mind raced for thoughts, he quickly covered her lips with his, enveloping her in

_-a kiss! Oh my god he is kissing me. Oh… what do I do? Do I kiss him back?!_ She thought, bewildered.

_She's going to slap me, I just know it. Don't do me any favors, Ariel, please._ He begged.

Instead, her baby blues closed as her arms intertwined around his neck, as if they were always meant to be there. His hands brought her body closer to his bare chest, his eyes closing as male hormones shot through the roof. Female hormones weren't doing much better. Her hands flitted across his form, leaving warm imprints wherever she touched. His body yearned for her, but this could be enough for now.

Oxygen-deprived lungs begged for the magical moment to end, although both teens didn't want to part. The lungs won this battle, though, and they left each other panting and wanting _so_ much more. Eyes opened and foreheads clinked together, and they stared into each other's endless eyes until they had regained what little sanity they had.

So careful as to not break this aura around them, Ariel whispered what she said next. "That was amazing." She tucked fire behind one creamy ear. And seeing how beautiful and innocent she looked there, Jim suddenly felt horrible. He shrunk back a bit, "I'm sorry I took advantage of yo-"

"Shut up, James! You have no idea how long I've wanted to do that."

And this shut him up indeed! Red dusted his face as he stammered, "How long?"

"Well, for forever now!"

"We have _so_ much darn in common!"

Ariel gripped at the covers on her lap, fingers curling under and uncurling the fabric that was the blanket. She lowered her eyes to it, refusing to meet his. "I always thought I was invisible to you." She said, barely audible. Jim's eyes widened, unable to comprehend what she had just said. Then a sly smile crossed his face as he closed the gap between them. "Oh, really? I'll show you how invisible you are to me, by tunder!" He replied, pinning his girl between his body and the mattress.


	3. doctor, doctor, i have an emergency

The chessy smiling moon shone through the glass window on to the two teens. A pale light was cast upon them, Ariel in sleeping Jim's strong arms. The sea-princess-turned-human snuggles up closer to him, listening to her lullaby that was his heart beat, bringing a bed sheet to cover them both up more. He was still in his navy boxers, while she was now in his long tee and underwear. Looking at the stars, she could barely make out the Lagoon Nebula. She sighed, eyes closely sleepily. Nothing happened, true, but she felt blissfully content. Tired, but she was afraid if she closed her eyes to end this day, this fantasy would vanish and slip through her fingers like sand. She sighed more dramatically this time, blowing her bangs up and out of her face. This brought Jim to wake, eyes glazed with sleep. He groaned and she gasped, facing him, widened eyes staring at him.

"Oh!" she exclaimed, mouth to her face in what could only be described as horror, "I'm so sorry Jim! Did I wake you up?"

Her hand now lay on his bare chest. His hand cupped the side of her face and she snuggled to it, eyes closing peacefully. "No, don't worry. Why are you still up? What time is it?" he asked, his body crossing hers to look at the digital clock besides her. She drunk in his scent; solar surfer oil and smoke, and smiled shyly to herself. Unable to control ones action, she wrapped her slim arms around his muscular body, her nose burying into his chest. He was caught off guard and gave a gurgled cry out, falling on top of the giggling redhead. He laughed as well, her smile lighting up the whole dim-lit room. "Yeah, I've been awake for some time. I just can't sleep… I'm too afraid to."

This stopped Jim from laughing and caused him to stare at the girl instead. She didn't look like the type to be frightened of cyborgs or boogeymen. But concern and, well, there is was, fear, clouded her blue eyes. It was as if a storm was brewing in those beautiful eyes, dark clouds swirling and whirring.

"Afraid to fall asleep, Ariel? That's not like you." He said, rolling off of her and wrapping his arms around her as to get her body closer to his.

"I know. I just… you're going to think of this as utter stupidity."

"Try me." He laughed, tickling her sides a bit.

"Well, I'm still convinced this is a dream. And if I wake up, everything is going to leave… _you're_ going to leave, and what we now have is going to vanish and it'll be like the same as always. You being pawned at by numerous girls and I'll be in the background as you flatter them with compliments."

He had no comment, as stared at the ceiling with fierce concentration. _She was __hurt__ by all of that? __I__ hurt her? But I never knew! Those girls meant nothing to me!_

"Ariel…." He started, clearing his voice as he finally had the courage to look her in the eyes. What he saw startled him; tears. Her eyes were shinier than usual, and tears streaked her cheeks. He moved his hand, thumb whipping away the tears, and she couldn't help it! She began to sob, and buried her face in his chest, wetting it. And after a few minutes, she finally composed herself and looked at him, eyes red-rimmed.

His hand caressed her damp face, sending chills up and down her body. "Ariel, those girls never meant anything to me; you got to believe me. I just flirted with them because…"

He couldn't bear to say what was next, lest it shatter this moment like broken glass.

"Because why?" Ariel asked. Their faces were centimeters away now, and that's all it took for Jim to make up his mind what he would do to proceed. "Because I knew I could never have you." He finished, and his lips fell on top of hers. Fireworks went up behind closed eyelids, and the heat between them built up. It was growing faster than any of them could bottle it up, especially with the other's lips melded to their own.

"Never have me?" She retorted, after one kiss was over and one was on the verge of coming. "Of course! Look at you, Ariel! Have you ever actually _seen_ yourself in the mirror and not nit-pick every 'flaw' you have. You are _beautiful_. I _love _you! You are funny, kind, and overall an amazing person… mermaid… once-mermaid-now-person."

She gave him a mock scrutinizing look as she dove in for another kiss. He caught her face between his hands, his fingers running through fiery locks. This time he felt in the mood to explore new territory, begging entrance into her mouth with his tongue. She allowed him passage, and he did not hesitate in exploring. She tasted sweet, like some exotic spice, which contradicted nicely with her ocean salt smell.

She and he both sighed as tongues darted in the moist caves and played a slight tug-of-war. Ariel couldn't help wanting to explore all of him, and a tightening of her stomach accompanied by intense heat confirmed this urge. Not only does he smell good, he tastes delicious!

Shrinking lungs won a weary battle once again, and they departed, eyes filled with dark passion and forbidden wants.

Raising a hand to his face, Jim tousled his hair and stretched his face, as so the pinks of his bottom lids could be seen. Ariel fell back to the bed, eyes closed and ears ringing with… was that waves? Yes, indeed… ocean waves.

"I want to…" Ariel breathed, her breath regulating as heaved a big sigh.

"I know."

"But?"

"Not now. It's too early and I want you to be one-hundred-and-ten percent sure."

"But I am!"

"Now you are. Tomorrow in the morning you could be like, 'Oh shi-'"

"Jim!"

"'-what have I done?' I just had sex with _him_?' And I don't want you to feel that way about me… 'us', if there is one…and what we do-if anything- on this here bed."

Ariel suddenly got very near to him, perfect brows furrowed in anger. "Now listen here, Mr. Hawkins. I have stayed by your side for a _long_ time now. I have watched numerous gals rip your shirt and pants off just to get gleefully laid." As to emphasize this, she looked down at the ~impressive~ bulge that was being restrained by blue boxers. Or perhaps it was the shadows making it look extremely huge. Whatever the case, Jim covered up with a sheet, face flushed. "You think that if I didn't care enough about you, I would've stayed around _this_ long?"

Silence.

The bed creaked as she moved away from him, as if repelled by the very thought. He sat there blinking like a blushing fool.

"Why?" he finally asked, his voice slicing the cold, frigid silence.

She turned to him a bit, eyes hooded and concealed by her bangs that were casting shadows across her face so he could not properly see her. "Why what?" she responded.

"Why did you stand there and not tell me all this time?"

She sighed as if he was retarded for asking such a thing. Was he?

"Same reason you didn't tell me. So ask _yourself_ that question, and the answer you come up with will most probably be the same one as mine."

_Because I was too scared of rejection_.

"Then why did you stay all this time?"

Her body noticeable stiffened, as she drunk in this inquiry. Then she was off the bed and dragging a blanket, heading to the couch to sleep. As she reached the doorway, she finally whispered the much anticipated answer that he didn't know if he heard her right.

"Because I'm in love you with you."

and then she shut the door, leaving him all alone with his thoughts.


	4. see i'm head over heels

It was well past 10 o'clock in the morning and Jim was in the kitchen, waffle stuffed in his cheek. He downed the lump with some juice and as he hopped off the stool to put the dirty plate and cup in the sink, he caught a glimpse of the still-sleeping Ariel.

Sunlight's golden fingers was prying the blinds open, casting a glow on Ariel making her seem more angelic. His eyes softened and his heart melted with gushy mushy feelings he cared not to know he had, and he was about to go kiss her awake but-

"HELLOOOOOOOO!" a voice yelled, shaking the building.

_Ben_.

Jim groaned and rushed to tell the stupid robot to shut up, but it was too late. Ben was in the living room screaming about Montressor knows what, and Ariel has a startled look on her pale face, widened eyes glazed with escaped sleep.

(Probably because she was up well into the night crying about a certain male whose name shall not be mentioned, but be kept to the subtle hint of, "It starts with a J and ends with an –im.")

"Woah! Someone is _not_ a morning person. Ooh, hi Jimmy! Did you and Ariel have a sleepover?"

"Ben! Shut up!"

"Oh I love sleepovers! Why didn't you invite me? You invited _Morph_ but not _me_? Oh, tish tosh. I just want to hug you."

"BEN!"

"What?!"

"Shut up, please, Ben!" Ariel said, rubbing her head which now sported a lump due to Ben's extravagant entrance.

"Oh, Ariel! I didn't see you down there! What… what are you doing on the floor? Did you get your tail back? Oh, me next, me next! I want to go to Atlantica!"

"I am on the floor because you woke me up, startled might I add, and I practically flew off the couch to the floor below." And with that, she got up and went into Jim's room, closing the door.

"No need to be overdramatic Ariel! Everybody knows you can't fly off of couches!" Ben called after her. A muffled scream could be heard. Morph, Jim and Ben exchanged a look. Sitting down once again at the kitchen table, Morph ate a spare bagel that was in a nearby plate. "So, Jimmy, how was solar surfing yesterday? You have better gotten out of their before that weather came in!" Ben scolded.

"Yes, _mom_. Jeez, chill. We got out of there before that."

"We?"

"Yeah, _we_."

"Who came along?"

"Ariel, duh."

Ben was quite, looking at him with expectant eyes, head in outstretched hands.

"What?!" Jim asked, incredulously.

"Did you tell her yet? Did you, did you, did you?"

"Tell _who_, _what_?"

"Tell Ariel that you love her!" Ben screamed, arms waving and voice getting higher on each word. Morphed glared at him, bagel digesting in his pink mush of a tummy. Jim jumped on Ben's head as to clamp his mouth shut.

"Shhh! Ben, shut up!" Jim hissed, eyes blazing.

And this is what the Little Mermaid saw, as she came out in a dress, blue bow in her hair. She nodded towards them and said, "I'm going out to clear my head." Then she was out the front door, solar surfer up and out of sight.

"Out? Who goes out to clear their head? All you have to do is open up your cranium and dump the contents out!" Ben exclaimed, matter-of-factly.

"Not all of us are robots, Ben! Come on. Morph! Let's go! We're going on a chase." Jim said, putting clothes on hurriedly.

Who knew pants where the new shirt?

"There she is!" Ben hollered, pointing to the ground. Jim looked down from the solar surfer, eyes scanning the dense crowd. There was his fiery maiden, searching through the people (not to mention aliens) for…

Jim tightened his grip on the solar surfer's rail; eyes hardening like stone and jaw clenched so hard it hurt. She was talking to some friendly aliens, _good looking _ones. However, had Jim kept walking, he would have found she had just asked for directions and was well on her way.

Surfer on the ground in Ben's hands, Jim ran in her general direction, leaving fire behind every step he took. Yet she was gone, lost once again in the crowd.


	5. i can't stop bellowing

Ariel sighed, back against the old tree trunk. It was quite a desolate spot, patches of grass here and there, some sparse trees and a couple of boys playing "I spy."

"I spy… something vertically tall." One said to another. The other thought for a while, then gave the curt answer of, "A tree." The small boy uttered a cursed word.

"Ok, ok. I spy… something with bark."

"Tree. My turn! I spy something with leaves."

"Tree. I spy-"

"Tree."

"Not fair!... Tree."

"I think we should play another game."

"Yeah…"

Ariel laughed a little, sleepy still from her rude awakening. She yawned, tucked herself into a nice comfortable position and soon enough, she was fast asleep.

_Waves. The first thing she always woke up to was to the sounds of waves crashing above. Her mother singing once upon a time. But, what can a mermaid do about the past right?_

_Ariel awoke, eyes slowly opening to the ceiling of her and her seven sisters' room. She got up, excited, and then realized it was just another day, another family walk. They all were dragged out of bed, forced to walk with their father around Atlantica, greeting other mermans and mermaids. After that it was just fun with Flounder, Sebastian trying to keep up with their latest shenanigans._

_And then that ship. Oh, how it was amazing, seeing that ship. Her curiosity got the better of her as she darted up to the surface of the passing vessel. It was barely touching the water's surface, and she jumped up, grabbing a hold of it and pulled herself up(though the deadweight of the tail never did help much out of the water) and up, and up, and up, and up…_

_Then there was that human. He was gorgeous; blue eyes the color of the ocean, brown hair tousled as if he has bed-head. He was horsing around with a pink glob of a thing that was laughing at something the human must have done. He had such a peculiar piece of jewelry dangling from one of his ears as well. That just intrigued her more. And he was pretty fine looking, waking up feelings she had never had for another merman, no matter how handsome he was. This boy topped everything off._

_The shipmates were having a party, waving drinks and singing tunes loudly out of tune. Ariel laughed, smiling and just having a good time. Who couldn't be at such a festivity?!_

_But maybe he was looking too closely, or just stared out the hole where she was peering from at the wrong time; well, whatever the case, he found her. He ran towards her, thinking she was a damsel in distress from a shipwreck, and Ariel was too stunned to move. Then he saw the fins, the tail, the shell bra._

_(Bad thoughts arose, Jim later told Ariel)_

_She mistook his curious stare as one of fear and began to calculate how far she would have to go before she plunged into the ocean depths. Instead, however, he took her hand gently in his and said in the softest, most beautiful voice she had ever heard, "Hi. I'm Jim Hawkins. What's your name?"_

_From there it was just a matter of time and location, him meeting her at the shore where she could wade and sit and splash in. Sometimes they swum together, and fish in the sea quickly took a liking to Jim. Even Ariel's sisters approved, calling him "a great catch." All, that is, except one._

"_Ariel, you knew I forbid you from going to the surface. Humans are barbarians!" King Triton roared at his youngest daughter._

"_But Daddy I love him!"_

"_No. Have you gone mad? He's a human, you're a mermaid! You can't coexist together!"_

"_I don't care. And he loves me too."_

"_And soon he will kill you for what you are- a __mermaid__."_

"_Jim's not like that!"_

_And she made a dramatic exit, leaving her old weary father to question whether he was too hard on her. Sebastian quickly answered, saying that Ariel should be the maker of her own future, and Triton only her mentor who helps her along her own path. Making up his mind, the father woefully turned his baby girl into a human, entrusting her in the arms of James Pleiades Hawkins. (After a while, actually, daddy got used to the idea, seeing that Jim truly did love his daughter and wasn't like the rest of the humans.)_

_However Jim knew nothing of this change, and stared out into the ocean and stars, thinking about the girl who had captured his heart and he was doomed to never be with. As the ship made one final pass over this planet's ocean surface, he saw a girl waving to him from his and Ariel's rock. Who ever should it be but Ariel herself, waving to her love!_

_He grabbed her hand and swung her aboard, holding her in a bear hug and kisses plastered all over her. And together they went to Montressor, to start anew and introduce Ariel to Jim's mother._

A flash of light behind eyelids awoke the young girl, and the thunder rolling behind it just jolted her wide-awake. She had dozed off for who knows how long, the little boys long gone and replaced with gray menacing skies. She scrambled up and got on her board making it home before it started to downpour.

"I'm home!" She called out, grateful she wasn't rained on. She was greeted with a gloomy Ben and an even grayer Morph. "Morph? Ben? Where's Jim?" she asked, worried now.

"Out looking for you. He's been looking all day, worried sick." Ben replied.

"Worried sick. Worried sick." Morph mocked, amusing himself with jumping up and down on the couch cushions.

"Out _there_? In this rain?!" She practically cried out, rushing to the window as if that would will him home. She stared out into the crying sky, begging for somebody- anyone- to bring her love back home.


	6. and there's ten hours between us tonight

It seemed as if the sky was crying for his loss of his bubbly maiden. He had searched everywhere that had popped into his head, but she was nowhere in sight. The pouring rain was even more of a worry, because if she was still out there alone, she was getting dripping wet and would get sick.

"Jim, you'll find her. She couldn't have run off too far. The only place she knows is here." His mother said in a soothing voice, running her fingers through his wet hair. His eyes dropped down to the hot tea she had prepared for him, he mumbled a thanks and cupped the china in two trembling hands.

The tea scalded his throat, but nevertheless felt good. He'd rather feel something than this hollowness that was engulfing his heart like a black menacing shadow.

A flash of lightning lit up the gray skies, and thunder soon rolled in after, shaking the inn violently. His mother sighed and sat down next to him, temporarily ignoring the pile of dirty dishes that she needed to attend to.

"What happens if she went back to Atlantica, mom?" Jim asked so softly that his mother, at first, didn't think he had said anything at all.

"Well, what _does_ happen? What will you do?" She asked him back, challenging him to rack his brain.

"I… I don't know. It's been so long since I've been alone… without her. She's like, permanently engraved into my life… my heart. How can I just go on and pretend she never existed?"

"I never said you had to pretend that she never existed. I just asked what will you do?"

"I don't know, mom. _I love her_. And that feeling is never going to just vanish. It's not something that I can just ignore…"

"And what happened to the hoard of girls that you have pawning at your every footfall? Didn't you tell _them_ you love them?"

"You're making me sound like a male hooker, mom."

"Just answer the question, regardless of what I make you sound like."

"Well, yeah. I told them that.- "

"There you go! Then- "

"But I honestly, truly _love_ Ariel. Not those other girls."

"How do you know?"

"I just do. Every time she's not with me I miss her immensely, she lights up my day with her smile and charm. She's just an amazing person and I…." Jim shut up for a second, and his eyes filled with what seemed like a mix of amazement, wonderment, and a bad case of the "I'm thinking"'s.

His mother stared at him peculiarly, wondering if he would share what he was thinking. He blinked his sky-eyes once, twice, then a broad smile overcame his face, and his face lit up as he stared at his mother.

"Do you want to know how for certain I am that I am madly in love with Ariel, mom?" he asked, eyes shining.

"Ok… sure."

"I am so madly in love with her, mom, that I want to spend the rest of my life with her."

His mother gasped, hands flying to her mouth and her eyes widened. Jim grinned and laughed, and took her thin wrists into his strong hands and spoke calmly as to not frighten her anymore.

"Mom, I _can't_ live without her. I _won't_. I am too deeply in love with her to not be with her. And it's not just some phase, some ridiculous idea to keep her captive. I really do honestly love her." He whispered, wrapping his mother up in a hug.

"But… what will she say?"

"Only one way to find out, mom, and that's to ask her. I have to get home and see if Ben and Morph have spotted her. I'll be back, and I'll tell you what she says." And as he spoke he rose and started heading to the door until his mother beckoned him back.

Her eyes where filled with tears and she was smiling as they trailed down her cheeks. She embraced her son and mumbled into his broad shoulder, "I'm glad it was her all along. Clearly you are meant to be. But, if you're going to propose, you need a ring. And in this weather everybody's closed tight. I have just the fix though…" and she wandered off upstairs. Jim followed her into her bedroom just in time to see her open a small drawer and pull out a box. She smiled softly at the box, then looked up and smiled at her son.

"It was your father's to me. I haven't worn it in ages, ever since he left. I want you to have it; a beautiful girl deserves a beautiful ring." She answered, and placed the box into Jim's hand. He opened it, the small latch creaking a bit, and he let out a little gasp when he saw the breathtaking ring. It was silver, an ocean-blue diamond in the middle held up by two small clear ones. They sparkled in light, and the silver twinkled. He closed the box up, pocketed the ring safely, and hugged his mother fiercely.

"Thanks mom." He kissed her cheek, bounded down the stairs and all his mother heard was the door shutting as her son raced to find the love of his life.

She sat on the foot of the bed and opened her necklace that contained holographic pictures of Jim through the ages. She smiled and said to nobody in particular, "I'm so proud of you Jim."


	7. and tonight, I wanna cry

Her eyes must be deceiving her.

It must be an illusion before her…

But no, it wasn't. There was her Jim running towards the inn, probably oblivious that she was peeking out of the curtain. But, _he was safe_.

All caught up in herself, Ariel threw the door open and ran out into the worst of the storm. Jim's eyes widened and his strides lengthened and he quickened towards her. She crashed into him with arms outstretched and ear pressed up against his rapidly beating heart held captive by his rib cages.

His arms held her tight to him, and they stayed there with the rain pouring on them. They didn't want to let go of each other-to break such a moment, but they knew they had to. And finally they looked at each other, foreheads pressing up against the others, and stared into each others eyes.

He spoke first, "I thought I lost you. I didn't know what I was going to do with myself if I had actually lost you."

"You'll never lose me, Jim. _Never._"

"Tell me something, Ariel, please."

"Something."

"You know what I mean."

She chuckled and blushed a bit, nodding, her water heavy bangs bobbing up and down.

"Ariel, did you mean what you said that night?"

"What part?"

"The part about loving me."

"Of course! Yes!"

"Then will you do me a great honor?"

"And what will this great honor be?"

Jim smiled softly at her as he got down on one knee and pulled out the box his mother had given him just moments before this occasion. He opened it, but not all the way so the ring would not get wet until it was on her finger.

_If_ she accepted.

_If she doesn't accept, I don't know what I'll do. I'll be so embarrassed and then this will be awkward… but I love her. And she said she loves me. What's __not__ going to work out?_ Jim thought as he cleared his throat.

Ariel stared at him, awed, not knowing why he was getting his knee so muddy.

_What on Montressor is he doing?!_ She wondered, staring at him peculiarly.

"Ariel… will you marry me?" he finally asked, exposing the ring so she could see.

She stared at him baffled, not knowing what to say. Her voice must have escaped her because she opened her mouth to speak but no sound came out. She tried again, and a rushed chorus of, "This must be a joke! Where are the cameras? Ok, fun's over everybody! Come on out, you got me! Ha ha ha. Come on out now!" instead pooled out.

Jim's eyes filled with anguish and hurt and maybe tears, but she couldn't tell the rain and tears apart on his face. She suddenly got down on both of her knees, ruining her dress in the mud, to be face-to-face once again with him. She looked him over; earring in one ear, hair pulled back in a now soggy limp ponytail, cerulean eyes waiting, scar under one eye, dripping hair. He was gorgeous, and she knew it.

She threw her arms around his neck, causing him to fall on his back with her on top of him. Her lips crashed onto his as her eyes closed and fireworks ignited behind her closed eyelids. His eyes bulged, alarmed, and his lips were a tense line. But he relaxed, wrapped his arms around her waist, kissed her back and let his eyes slip closed as well.

And that's how they stayed for a while, too wrapped up in each other to give a care about how muddy they were getting, how they were soaked to the bone. They had each other and that was all that mattered.

When they finally did part, all he saw was a beautiful maiden with crimson hair, aqua eyes and creamy skin. When they finally did part, all she saw was a handsome man with brownie-colored hair, sparkling blue eyes and battle scars in the reflection of a scar and earring.

"You still didn't answer my question." Jim teased, propping his upper body with his two elbows.

She looked at him, made a face and said, "What? The kiss wasn't enough of one?" in such a funny tone he just had to laugh. And she laughed along with him, loving the feeling she had in her chest at seeing him so… _happy_.

"Please, can we answer the serious question with an answer that contains _words_?" he laughed in-between gasps for air.

"Aw, but you know you love kisses better."

"Serious answer containing words first, kisses soon after. I promise."

And suddenly the laughing stopped and they were both quiet. This was decision time.

_What are you waiting for? You know you love him. And yeah, maybe he has his flaws, but so do you and he deals with you. He is the one for you._

She looked up from the ground and stared at her anticipating love interest. Then she broke into a smile, tackled him in another mind-spinning kiss and as they finally broke for air, she whispered into his ear the answer to his question.

"Yes, James Pleiades Hawkins, I would _love_ to marry you."


	8. drown me in love

"_Yes, James Pleiades Hawkins, I would __love__ to marry you."_

Her velvety voice kept repeating that phrase over and over again in his mind, causing his heart to skip a beat in joy and swell up in the sheer happiness he was feeling. It had been hours after the fact that she had said yes, him burying his face in the crook of her neck and laughing and crying of joy. He slipped the ring on her finger and she sat there mesmerized by the jewels, fingering them gently as if her touch would break them. Then she looked at him and broke into a smile, and threw her head back and laughed, red hair cascading down her back. She got up and extended a hand for him to take to get up as well, and he could barely see her face as the rain was _that_ dense. He smirked, laced his fingers with hers and pulled her down on top of him, mud splashing everywhere from the crash. She had a shocked look on her face then smirked back, cupping a handful of mud and flinging it at his face.

This went on for a good while, both completely covered by mud by the time Ben got out and dragged them inside. There in the doorstep, Ben handed them towels and they tried to take off as much mud as they could before Ariel (ladies first) went to take a shower. By the wrist she was being dragged by Ben to the bathroom while I looked back at her now fiancé and gave a tiny wave, as if defeated by the crazy robot. Inside he took her dress by the sleeves and yanked it up over her head. He turned on the hot water and put her in the tub, telling her he would be back with clean clothes in just a few and that her hair better be as red as he saw it that morning not, "This horrible muck color you've created." He shut the door shut, she finished stripping and sat on the bathtub as the showerhead poured water on her. Unlike the rain outside, this was warm and prickled her face until she was flushed pink.

Around her legs and feet the water was a brown muddy color with clumps of grass following the falls that lead into the drain. She watched it as it disappeared, her thoughts wandering. _I'm getting married. Oh my God, I am getting married. To my best friend! The guy I thought I was going to have to spend my life following as he loved other girls. But he's getting married- __to me__!_ She suddenly felt restless, an urge to pace or run around rising in her chest. Instead she grabbed the soap and scrubbed at her scalp until it stung a bit. She rinsed and repeated until the water that dripped from her ends was clear. Then she proceeded to scrub her body clean until she could see the pale of her skin; or rather, the pink since she was scrubbing so hard. And once done, she just sat there in the warm rain as it trickled down her cheek and she inhaled the steam as if it would cleanse her very being.

The door creaked open and Ben announced that her clothes were on the toilet and to hurry because Jim needed to get showered because he stunk worse than Silver. "HA HA HA BEN. Get back here and we'll discuss that statement!" Jim hollered from far away. Ariel giggled and blush dusted her cheeks. Ben closed the door and Ariel grabbed a towel and wrapped it around herself. She was about to towel-dry her hair when the door opened and Ben or Morph was not standing (or floating in Morph's case) there but

"JIM!" Ariel screamed, holding the towel over herself tightly.

"Oh, my god! Ariel! I'm sorry! I thought the- the shower… it was off and… I thought you were- um… gone. In your room- our room. Um… changing. Sorry. I'm… oh god I'm an idiot- I'm sorry." Jim rambled, red as a tomato. He was caked in dry mud and his face was streaked with brown, but the red was painfully obvious. Ariel just laughed and told him that it was okay, just an honest mistake. Jim looked up from the floor and had to keep his jaw from falling. Surrounded by the steam left from her shower, and the lights above them, the water droplets still on her wet hair captured said light and formed like a golden halo around her. She looked even more angelic, and with him staring at her like that, blush raced across her face and she looked even more beautiful and innocent.

He was about to lean in and kiss her when Ben just happened to stroll by, grabbed him by the back of the shirt and apologized to Ariel for the numbskull blocking the door. She gave one longing look to Jim then grabbed her clothes and went to her room. Once the door was shut, Jim fought out of Ben's gripped and glared at him.

"You ruined the mood, Ben!" Jim hissed, eyes squinting.

"**Mood?!** _What_ mood? The girl obviously wanted to get by; you're muddy, dirty, muddy- wait, I already said that- and you stink worse than Silver. Get in that darn bathtub and get yourself clean before you go kissing the already-clean girl." Was all Ben said before pushing him into the bathroom and into the tub. He started the water, which burned to the touch, and would not budge until Jim picked up the soap and got all sudsy.

In the bedroom Ariel had put on her freshly-cleaned beige dress. It was simple, but she wasn't a demanding girl. She didn't need diamonds sewn into the sleeves of her dresses or rubies on her ears. Give her a dress like this and she would be a happy camper. She strode towards the mirror and brushed her hair with the brush nearby. Again and again, somehow the motion soothed her. She was worlds away however, listening to Jim curse at Ben and all his non-living relatives and Ben telling him to shush or he would ram a bar of soap down his throat. Then Morph laughing and mocking both of them, Jim laughing and then yelling as Ben threw the bar at soap at him. _Accidentally_, he swore. Blinking herself back to reality, she saw she had almost brushed herself bald seeing the amount of hair on the brush. Panicked she looked in the mirror but sighed in relief when she saw she wasn't bald at all.

However, she knew her hair had been tortured enough and laid down on the bed. Staring at the ceiling, she tried to see if she could make any shapes from the carvings. A three-legged dog, a chicken wing, a captain hat, a merman… _Atlantica._

_I wonder if Daddy misses me. And my sisters… I wonder if any of them have gotten married yet. Athena did like that one merman we saw on the walks… but she wouldn't ever admit it, being the oldest sister and being the 'responsible one'. I wonder how Daddy would feel if he found out that I was to marry Jim. I hope he would be happy. Oh, Daddy, I miss you. I really want to go home and see you… just for a little bit. I miss Sebastian and Scuttle and Flounder. But we're worlds away, and Jim… I can't leave him. It would kill me to leave him… I've become so attached and… now… he's my world. I'll admit it; I'm crazy about him. And-_

"Ariel?" a voice came softly from the doorway. She tilted her head back, seeing Jim upside down. He smiled at her, then opened the door a little bit more. He was in a baggy shirt and boxers and CLEAN! She smiled and then rolled over on to her stomach. "Hi stranger." She teased, picking at the fabric of the sheets. Her ring sparkled in the light that came from the door and sent rainbows on the ceiling. Ariel looked up, seemed pleased with the fact, and then turned her attention back to Jim. "Are you hungry? Mom is almost here so Ben and I are cooking up a storm. Anything specific you want before Morph eats everything?" he asked, looking behind his shoulder to see if the blob was trying to get near the kitchen. No, he was on the couch morphing into utensils such as spoons and straws. "I'm hungry, but nothing in particular comes to mind… wait, yes it does. _Edible_ food." "That wasn't me! Ben burned that batch of food." Jim retorted, remembering the mess he and Ben had created the last time his mother had come over, burning almost everything except the cake for dessert and the salad.

Ariel laughed, thinking of the same event (unaware Jim was recalling it as well) and got up from the bed and rushed towards Jim to embrace him. He opened his arms, twirled her in the air once in his grasp, and then gently lowered her to the ground and held her close. Her lips met his and they shared a kiss. She snuggled her head into the crook of his shoulder and just stared admirably at him. He picked her up, bride-style, and set her on the couch to watch him and Ben continue working. Morph slid down from the high perch of the couch and floated up next to her cheek, smiling and rubbing his gooey body against it. She smiled and put her hand up to her cheek and stroked the goo. He giggled and chirped, "Ariel, yum. Yum yum, yay." She wondered why he would say, "yum" but decided against thinking anything of it.

Together, they watched the two boys try to concoct _something_ **EDIBLE**, but it didn't look like they were really quite succeeding. Ariel heard a knock on the door, called, "I'll get it! You both best stay in there before you burn something, like the house, down!" and proceeded towards the door, opening it. Her face broke out into a smile and she embraced her future mother-in-law.


	9. cause this is a corolation of love &life

"Ariel! It's so nice to see you." Jim's mother said, wrapping her arms around the thin framed redhead that had stolen her son's heart. "How are you, darling?"

"Doing… quite well, Mrs. Hawkins." Ariel laughed, her cheeks turning red and her blue eyes sparkling. She then blinked, twice, and as if to come to her senses said, "Oh, please come in! How rude of me not to let you in! Um… Jim! Jim, your mom is here!"

Mrs. Hawkins entered the house, sniffing the air. Her brows furrowed and she yelled, "Jim… if you're serving burned food again, I'll run and get edible food for us to eat!" Ariel giggled, whispering, "That's what I said!" and they heard a frustrated grunt and Jim yell back, "No you won't! It's **FINE**." over the roar of a fire alarm. Smoke trickled into the living room and Morph came out, black instead of pink. He coughed, smoke being exhaled from his little lungs.

"Thank Montressor I bought pasta." His mother rolled her eyes.

The ladies chatted while the men tried desperately to save the meal. Knowing men (who don't major in the culinary arts) it failed, epically.

"I suppose that Jim has already popped the question?" Mrs. Hawkins asked, nodding towards the ring that adorned Ariel's finger. "Yes… yes he has… and I've, um… obviously accepted. You have quite the man-_son_- there, and I'm…" Ariel's line of thought halted to a stop, and she lowered her eyes.

Her bangs shielded her eyes, but when she looked up again, tears were streaming down the young girl's face.

"Mrs. Hawkins… when I left with Jim from Atlantica, I thought that he would sweep me off my feet and we'd be married on that very boat. He then went around, courting various women while I slinked in the shadows, watching. I watched him kiss them, hug them… I heard them make love to each other. Or… sex, but they referred to it as 'making love' because that's what they were. He _loved_ every single girl he came in contact with… expect me." She paused, and Mrs. Hawkins held the young girls hand.

"It's okay, Ariel. You can tell me. I'm here for you… we're family now." she reassured.

"And then… he finally _looked_ at me. Everything fell into place like a puzzle… a puzzle that was always meant to be. Now I'm going to get _married_ to the very man who captured my heart. And… and I just wanted to say... thank you. Thank you for letting him be mine. Thank you for giving him this ring and letting it be on my finger. _Thank you_. "

Sarah hugged Ariel, and the once-mermaid calmed down. "You've been like a daughter to me ever since Jim brought you home. I always knew it would be you. And I'm _glad_ it's you. You don't have to thank me for anything, child. I want to thank _you_ for finally knocking some sense into Jim and showing him love. I want to thank you for being there for him. I want to thank you for saying yes."

Ariel hugged Sarah a little tighter, and this is what the boys saw when they entered with decent-looking/tasting food. The growing family bonded, laughing over old memories and flitting over wedding details. Where would it be? How many people would attend? You know, the small details, but the large ones as well.

The bubbly mother left, the robot turned in for the night, and the morphing blob fell asleep after dessert. Ariel took off her dress and put on one of Jim's shirts, just so she could be a little closer to him. They still hadn't done the deed, but she was in no rush… well, not in one that she would admit. She wanted him, true, but that would come in time. She turned off the lamp that illuminated her room and crawled under her covers. Jim and her were in separate rooms, and she felt awfully alone in such a big room.

Sleep didn't enter her room for hours. She doubted it would. She felt too lonely, and so… cold. The quiet was deafening, and it prickled her skin. Suddenly, her door creaked open. She turned her body to face it, and there was Jim's silhouette. "Hi." She whispered, her voice cracking from lack of use. "Hi." He answered back, rubbing his eyes with a light fist.

"Couldn't sleep?" she asked.

He nodded.

"I'm guessing the same with you?" he asked, & she mimicked his nod.

She waved a hand, beckoning for him to join her in the bed. He crossed the room in four strides and as she scooted away to give him some room he lay right beside her and wrapped an arm around her. She lay there, in the cage he had created, and felt content. Safe.

**Loved.**

She had always wondered whether she would find love, or if she was too wild and spontaneous for a guy to love her. Oh, she had gotten whistles and hoots and her butt had been grabbed by aplenty, but that was lust. _Lust_ and _love_ where two different definitions, two different feelings in the heart.

She looked up at the now-sleeping form of her soon-to-be-husband and prayed to Montressor or her daddy or whomever controlled such feelings that Jim felt _love_ towards her, and not just lust towards her body.

Maybe it was the way he looked sleeping, peaceful as an angel. He lacked the halo and wings, but he was gorgeous nonetheless. His eyelids were closed, cerulean-hued eyes behind those heavy lids. His mud-colored tresses were a mess, hair sticking in every direction, giving him a boyish look. His lips were in the form of a small flirty smile, as if he knew she was studying his sleeping form and memorizing every scar. A want- no, need- to touch him overcame her, as her fingertips ghosted over his perfectly tanned skin.

After feeding this hunger, she turned back to admire his sleeping face only to be greeted by blazing liquid sky eyes that still had sleep glazing them. In his sleep his arm has fallen beside her, but now his arm re-wrapped itself around her delicate frame, pushing her nose against his well-toned chest. He smelled like exotic spices, summer nights, oil and smoke. And they stayed like so, drinking in each other's scents until they thought they'd go crazy if they didn't act fast enough. Clothing was just another obstacle in the way from bodies making contact, and was ripped off in a whisper, exposing only undergarments.

Entwined in a lover's knot, his pianist fingers flitted across her form, causing her body to erupt into goose bumps were his fingers touched momentarily. Kissing him was heaven, sharing every word they didn't dare to say aloud. She was pinned beneath a mattress and his chest, the depth of his poisoned blue eyes staring at her with dilated pupils.

Oh, was somebody ever in the mood.

Another kiss sent her thoughts from slightly scrambled to completely undecipherable, tongues clashing in wild passion. It tasted of frosty air and fresh snow, clean and pure, although he is not.

His fingers left a trail of poison, burning and tingling at the same thing, sending chills throughout her nerves. Pores opened up, releasing a musky odor into the air, letting it hang like a heavy blanket. Sweat covered their bodies like oil, making it easier to rub up against each other, creating heat between them faster than they could bottle it up. Soft, silken lips whispered over slick skin, her name seeming to flow from his voice like sheer poison. His voice was dark and filled to the brim with unbridled ecstasy, bodies pushing up against each other, a forming bulge begging to be released.

Another swift movement of fingers, and the undergarments vanished, on the floor in a pile with the other mingling clothes. Velvet-clad iron shaft appeared, tall and proud. Free from everything, they shared a passionate kiss, two shades of dark hair interwoven (although hers more fiery), and not stopping until their lungs needed air. She tried to say a key three words as he positioned himself on top of her, but he thrust inwards and covered her lips with his own as they both groaned whispers into each other, her voice hitched in her throat. His legs gave out, body slapping hers with a sharp crack, and his fingers intertwined into her hair. She held him close, pleading with their bodies to allow them to be closer.

Velvet skin slick with sweat shuddered above her as they both reached a plateau far above anything before that shook them to the core. With their energy spent, they lazily floated down from their high. His head was buried in the nook of her neck, so her nose was buried in his spice-scented wavy hair. As he attempted to roll off of her, his bones groaned in protest, not wanting to move another inch. He crawled off, the cool sheets chilling his hot flesh.

And they lay there, him staring at her hair strewn across the crisp white sheets. She stared at the ceiling, eyes closing and flipping through channels to see if anything was going on behind her eyelids. Their thoughts, once clear as mud, had begun to piece themselves together again; he thinking about she being his dawn, she thinking about he was the star of her morning.

He then started to weave a tale, and it wasn't a story, just him talking about… nothing. Nothing, but everything at the very same exact time. About when they met, when they fell in love, the plans for the future they had. It came out like a soft purr, sweet as a Siren's song. And like a Siren's song, it drew her away from safety, tempting her to take a risk and-

Kiss him. She cleverly shut his silver tongue up-her touch demonic compared to his gentleness- by wrapping her arms around his neck and pressing her lips against his.

Ben and Morph where unaware of such events, but once morning came rolling around and neither gal or lad was awake, Ben checked out both rooms. They were in Ariel's, asleep. A sheet was wrapped around them, yet neither had a shirt on. Ben was a smart robot, and could guess that neither had their clothes on underneath those sheets. He let them be, closing the wooden door to the secret safe haven that the couple had created overnight.


End file.
